This week, in the last big push before Christmas, Guinness finally launch their Covent Garden brewery, ex-Masterchef the Professionals winner Alex Webb opens his own place, a big new food hall opens on Leicester Square and much more...
Guinness Open Gate Brewery
Covent Garden - Shelton Street, London, WC2H 9PU
It's been a long time coming but this week, Guinness unveil their Covent Garden brewery. It comes at a time when Guinness has never been more popular in the capital, and they should (at least we expect them to) be pouring some of the best pints in the city. The food sounds very promising too, with Pip Lacey (Hicce) in charge of the rooftop restaurant and Calum Franklin behind the pies on the ground-floor bar. Expect the gift shop here to be doing storming business in the run-up to Christmas.
Opening date: 11 December 2025
Market Place Leicester Square
20–21 Leicester Square, London WC2H 7JX
Market Place have been having success with their food halls that have been opening all over town, but this is their biggest one yet. Sitting right on Leicester Square, it's also their most central food hall, and the biggest Market Place too, spread across several floors. There are over 15 vendors on offer here, alongside the bars, and it's going to be extremely handy for anyone going to the theatre or nearby cinemas.
Opening date: 11 December 2025
Orion by Alex Webb
Wimbledon - 75-77 Ridgway, London SW19 4ST
Alex Webb won MasterChef, The Professionals back in 2020 and since then he also had a very successful long residency at The Intercontinental. Now he's going it alone with his first solo restaurant in Wimbledon, and it's planned as a British/French sharing-style restaurant, with a big focus on seafood. Dishes like mini crab waffles covered with brown crab mayonnaise sound fantastic, frankly.
Opening date: 11 December 2025
San Hao
Chinatown - 3 Gerrard Street, London W1D 5PD
San Hao is the latest opening from the restaurant team behind YiQi, The Eight and Dozo, this time opening a noodle restaurant in Chinatown. Noodle-focused restaurants are very popular in Chinatown right now and this opening is setting itself up with a unique take, with a strong emphasis on the quality of the produce, which is going to use the best of local and sustainable British ingredients. So you'll find dishes like beef brisket noodles made with British grass-fed beef and Rattan pepper seafood sheng jian bao dumplings.
Opening date: 12 December 2025
Chargal
Mayfair - 11 Berkeley Street, London W1J 8DS
Taking over the space that was once Jeru, Chargal is a new Turkish restaurant with a different take across each of its three floors. On the ground floor, there will be more of a casual vibe with mezze the main focus. Up on the first floor, it's more of a tablecloths and formal meal affair, and in the basement, you'll find a late-night lounge.
Opening date: 11 December 2025
Dim Sum Library
Covent Garden - 136 Long Acre, London WC2E 9AA
The Aqua Group are taking what was their Italian restaurant, Luci and relaunching it as Dim Sum Library, which will have a modern take on classic dim sum. It originally opened in Hong Kong and they've brought the chef who opened there to launch the restaurant here too. Dishes include wagyu beef puff with black pepper, dan dan xiao long bao and black garlic siu mai and you'll be able to see them all made onsite.
Opening date: 8 December 2025
Hoax
Dalston - 390 Kingsland Road, London E8 4AA
Opening in the space that was once the original Chick'n Sours, Hoax is a two-in-one affair. Upstairs, Hoax itself is a modern Italian casual restaurant, where dishes include a "Re-invented Caprese" with roasted tomato, mozzarella foam and Med bread crumble. Downstairs, you'll find their cocktail bar The Devil You Know (or TDKY), where the drinks include a Truffle Martini - (truffle-washed gin, dry vermouth, and "more truffle").
Opening date: 13 December 2025
This week's events
8 December (St James's) - From 5.30-6pm, students from the Royal College of Music will be singing Christmas carols outside The Wolseley. And there will be complimentary mince pies too.
12 December (Richmond) - Ocado is hosting a free festive pop-up at George Street in Richmond from 12-2pm with carols by Soul Choir and a guest appearance by Sophie Ellis-Bextor. Free food tasters include Tikka Pigs in blankets, Kimchi & camembert toasties and Dubai chocolate brownies with pistachio cream.
Here's what opened last week:
Corenucopia (Chelsea) - Clare Smyth's new "luxury bistro".
Dover Street Counter (Mayfair) - A spin-off of The Dover
Mazarine (Mayfair) - Med/French dining with an ex-LPM chef
Vagabond Canada Water (Canada Water) - Wine bar with an actual winery attached
Pizza Pilgrims (King's Cross) - Latest from the Neapolitan pizzeria
Stable Wines (Islington) - Beautiful-looking wine bar and shop from Goodbye Horses
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